Best First Sentence Contest

Welcome to ThrillerFest 2027’s Best First Sentence Contest

To enter the 2027 Best First sentence contest, please fill out the form below by 11:59pm Pacific Time on Sunday, March 15, 2027. The contest opens on July 7, 2026.

Winners will receive a 10-page critique with one of the Best First Sentence judges, who are made up of Master Class teachers from 2027’s Master Class. Winners will be announced live on Wednesday, April 28, 2027 at the CraftFest Luncheon, and on social media. All winners will be notified shortly thereafter via email.

Rules:

– Entry must be from your own published or unpublished work. The sentence you submit must be from the work you intend to submit if you win.

— Submitted entry must be applicant’s own original work, and not AI-generated.

– You may only submit one entry.

– To qualify for entry, you must be an ITW member (associate or full) in good standing and/or registered for ThrillerFest XXII (2027).

– Submissions received after March 15, 2027, 23:59:59 Eastern Time will not be considered.

– If you have questions, please email the Deputy Director ThrillerFest / Master Class, Ruth Church, at ruth@thrillerwriters.org.

The form to submit for the 2027 Best First Sentence Contest is below. Note – the form will open in a separate tab.

Submit your entry for the 2027 Best First Sentence Contest here.

Thanks for your entry, and good luck!

 

The winners of the 2026 Best First Sentence Contest are listed below. Ten talented wordsmiths won a 10-page critique with the instructor that chose their sentence.

Congrats to all!

2026 BEST FIRST SENTENCE WINNERS

Samantha M. Bailey:

It really dulls the joy of pulling off four murders in one night when you forget to pack the olives for your celebratory martini.

—Laura Bensick

Don Bentley:

The hole still wasn't deep enough for Edgar to bury his wife.

—Michael J. McLaughlin

Allison Brennan:

I screamed when I saw the llama in our kitchen, dressed in a wrinkled Aloha shirt and jams, leaning against the glass door of Gran’s new fridge, swilling a can of her special root beer.

—Diana Hansen-Young

Karen Dionne:

I know what you’re thinking: Oh, geez, a prologue?

—Francesca Kelly

David Ellis:

If it were me attacking a houseplant with such rage, I’d spill my martini, but Rita’s violence is steady.

—Christina Irene

Steven James:

The first time I killed a man, he didn't deserve it, but the second time, he absolutely did.

—Kate Angelo

Donald Maass:

I was pickin' berries when they came.

—Brenda McQueen Neil

Wanda Morris:

The citrus almond cookies in my therapist’s office tasted exactly like the batch Mom baked the day I overheard she didn’t want me.

—Elif Okcugil

Hank Phillippi Ryan:

I was going to leave Sam alone until I read that story in the paper.

—Gale Jesse

Tessa Wegert:

Nothing wrecks a girl’s wedding day like the spray of brain matter all over her white dress.

—Pamela Crane

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